Machine for making corn cellulose



No. 6I6,l77. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

I D. L. ADELSPERGEB. MACHINE FOR MAKING CORN CELLULOSE.

(Application filed Feb. 12, 1898.)

No Model.)

mw m 2 Patented Dec. 20, I898.

D. L. ADELSPERGER. MACHINE FOR M'AKING'CORN CELLULOSE.

(Application filed Feb. 12, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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PETERS cu, PHOTQLITNVOWWASHINGYON n c NITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

DOIV L.

MACHINE FOR MAKING CORN CELLULOSE.

SPEGIFICA'I'IiON forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,177, dated December 20, 1898.

Application filed February 12, 1 89 T0 ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Dow L. ADELSPERGER, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Corn Cellulose, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for extractin g and comminuting the pith from cornstalks, and thus converting the same into what is known as cellulose My invention consists in the constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view in perspective, showing a portion of the stripping or comminuting knives. Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective, showing a modification. Fig. 4: is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the machine, some of the parts being broken away. Figs. 5 and 6 are end elevations of the same. Fig. 7 is a detail view in section of the stalk-splitting knives. Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the stalk-supporting plates in detail. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing a modification. Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in the several views.

In the said drawings, a represents an outer casing, which also serves as a supportingframe for the various parts. At the front of this frame or casing there is preferably located a supporting shelf or table a, and the casing is provided immediately above this shelf or table with a series of inlet-openings a and at each side of each of these openings there is preferably located a yielding orspring guide a which extends inwardly and ends adjacent to feeding-rolls b and Z), which are located above and below a line passingthrough the inlet-openings (0 These feed-rolls are preferably fluted, as shown, and adapted to engage the stalks which are inserted through the openings in the manner hereinafter specified. At the rear of these feed-rolls, or back of a line passing through the center thereof, is a stripping-knife or series of knives c, the cutting edge of which is also preferably arranged in line with the center of the openings Q The knife or knives are supported on a 8. Serial No. 670,009. (No model.)

wedge-shaped block a, and on opposite sides of this block are plates 0 0 which are arranged substantially parallel to the upper and lower faces of the knives and the wedgeshaped block, so as to form passages c between the plates and block. Immediately back of the wedge-shaped block 0 I provide a pair of carrying-rolls 1) b the outer peripheries of which are also preferably fluted, and these carrying-rolls are so arranged that the engaging projections or ribs thereon come in proximity to the plates 0 at the inner ends of the passages 0 Back of the carrying-rolls b b and in proximity to the plates 0 are revolving knife-heads cl, having thereon knives or cutting-blades d, any suitable number being employed, but four of such knives being shown on each head in the drawings. The knife-heads are so arranged that the cutting edges of the knives or cutters (1' run in close proximity to the respective plates 0 and these plates 0 are preferably formed adjacent to these knife-heads in the nature of springs or yielding plates 0 the plate for this purpose being preferably sheared or cut into strips, so that the respective strips which make up said plate, while standing normally in line, may yield independently by an undue pressure thereon, the construction being shown in detail in Fig. 8. Adjacent to the ends of these yielding plates or strips 0 are placed stripping-knives e, the forward or cutting edge of each of which preferably stands back of a line drawn through the center of the rotating cutter-heads and in close proximity to the yielding strips 0 These knives e are preferably supported on adjustable supporting heads or blocks 6', having at their respective ends adj listing-screws 6 a by means of which the knives maybe adjusted to or from the yielding supports or strips 0 It will be understood that each of the respective feed-rolls b and b, the b and b and the knife-heads d d are supported on suitable shafts or journals, which extend through the sides of the casing and run in bearings provided therefor, and the parts are geared or otherwise connected to gether, so thatthe feed-rolls and carryingrolls run at the same, or substantially the same, peripheral speed, while the knife-heads are rotated at a higher speed. Power to carrying-rolls drive the different parts may be applied at any desired point, but preferably, as shown in the drawings, to one of the rotating knifeheads (1, a pulley f being splined at one end to one of said cutter-heads for this purpose. The respective cutter-heads are preferably geared together,'as shown in Fig. 5, by spurgears f f and one of these gears is adapted to mesh with an intermediate gear f which in turn meshes with a large spur-gearf on one of the feed-rolls b. At the opposite end of the machine the feed-rolls are geared together by spur-gears f f, and motion is communicated from the feed-rolls to the carrying-rolls to cause them to travel at the same peripheral speed by any suitable means, a sprocket chain f running over suitable sprocket-wheels, being shown in Fig. 6 for this purpose, the respective carrying-rolls being geared together by spur-gears f By this construction it will be seen that motion imparted to the pulleyf on one of the cutterheads will cause all of the revolving parts to rotate in unison.

On each of the cutter-heads (Z and above the knives d are secured yielding discharging-plates (Z These plates are preferably sheared or otherwise formed into a series of independent yielding plates or fingers cl, which normally stand adapted to yield independently. The free ends of these yielding projections or fingers are adapted to normally stand adjacent to and slightly above the cutting edge of each of the knives (1.

The stripping-knife cis preferably serrated on its cutting edge, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to form a series of cutting-points c and these points may be formed on a single blade or preferably, as shown in Fig. 3, made separately and secured to the wedge-shaped support 0. I also preferably form these knives or cutters with concave grooves ciwhich start near the cutting edge and extend backwardly therefrom and continue through or along the surface of the supporting-block c.

The operation of the device is as follows: The parts being set in motion from any suitable source of supply, the cornstalks are inserted through the feed -openings at and, guided by the yielding fingers a are engaged by the feeding-rolls b and b, the ends of the stalks being brought firmly against the beveled points 0 of the cutting-knives c, the stalks being thus divided in the middle, one half of each stalk passing above and the other half below the knives, and the halves guided by the grooved surfaces of the knives and the supporting-block follow the passages 0 until the respective parts are engaged by the carrying-rolls b 22 and by these rolls they are flattened out against the plates 0 and carried along the same until they are engaged by the rapidly-rotating cutters d or by the stationary stripping-knives e. The stripping-knives e are adjusted to the yielding supports 0 so that just su'fficient space is left in line, but which are' between the parts to permit the shives or outer parts of the stalks to pass between the same, all the pith being stripped therefrom by the stripping-knives c and the same comminuted and discharged from the rear of the machine by the rotating cutters d. The spring discharging-plates d on the cutterheads will, as the cutters are revolved, come in contact with the pith of the stalks and be pressed inwardly a distance corresponding to the line of the cut of the knives. As the cutters continue to revolve the pressure will be relieved from these spring-plates and the resiliency thereof will throw off the particles of pith which have been removed and comminuted thereby and discharge the same in a constant and uniform manner from the rear end of the machine, while the shives or outer parts of the stalks will pass between the stripping-knives e and the supporting-plates c". The supportingplates being divided and formed yielding, as described, will permit irregularities in the stalks to pass through between the supports and the strippingknives, the stalks at all times being held yieldingly against the stripping-knives, so that all the pith can be removed therefrom.

The dividing-knife c is shown in the drawings stationary. If desired, however, there may be imparted to it a slight reciprocating movement, which will assist in dividing the stalks. This may beaccomplished, asshown in Fig. 3, by forming the head 0 with a projection 0 extending through the casing and engaged by a pivoted bell-crank lever c, which is connected by a pitman c to a crank 0 which may be placed on any one of the rotating parts of the machine.

It may also be desirable to place immediately under the stripping-knives e and behind the supports 0 a revolving roll 0 having small spikes or projections on its periphery, as shown in Fig. 9 and in dotted lines at the bottom of Fig. 1, the purpose of this roll being to engage the shives or hard parts of the stalks and carry them uniformly from the machine. This rotating roll not only assists in carrying out the shives, but in case a part of a stalk should break off it also serves to hold back the part so broken off until the pith has been stripped therefrom by the cutters, thus permitting short sections of stalk to be operated on. The roll, it will be understood, will be revolved at substantially the same peripheral speed as the feed-rolls and carrying-rolls.

It is obvious that other modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my claim-- 1. In a machine, such as described, and in combination with means for feeding stalks thereto, a centrally-arranged dividing-knife, adjacent passages on each side of said knife, supporting-plates at one side of said passages invention, I

and forming a continuation thereof, rotating cutter-heads adjacent to said plates, and a stationary stripping-knife adjacent to said cutter-heads, substantially as specified.

2. In a machine, such as described, and in combination with means for feeding and carrying stalks therein, a dividing-knife sup ported on a Wedge-shaped block, supportingplates adjacent to said block to form passages on each side thereof, rotating cutter-heads adjacent to said plates, and adjustable stripping-knives adjacent to said plates and cutter-heads, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with the outer casing having feeding-openings and yielding guides extending therefrom, feeding-rolls at the rear of said guides, and a centrally-located divide ing-knife having beveled sides, and stationary stripping and revolving comminuting cutters at the rear of said knife, substantially as specified.

4:. In a machine, such as described, a dividing-knife, inclined supporting-plates on each side thereof, feeding-rolls in front of said knife and carrying-rolls at the rear of said knife, and stationary stripping and rotating comminuting knives at the rear of said carrying-rolls, substantially as specified.

5. In a machine, such as described, and in combination with feeding devices and a dividin g-knife, of rotating cutter-heads at the rear of and on opposite sides of said dividing-knife, adjacent stripping-cutters and supportingplates forming guides on each side of said dividing-knife, said supporting-plates having a yielding portion opposite to said rotating cutters, substantially as specified.

6. The combination with a dividing-knife and feeding devices, of yielding supportingplates, the stripping-knives adjacent thereto, and the rotating cutter-heads arranged in proximity to said stripping-knives and yielding supports, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with the feeding devices, substantially as described, the yielding supporting-plates, the adjustable stripping-knives, and the rotating cutter-heads having the spring discharging devices, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. The combination with the feeding devices, the yielding supporting-plates, the stripping-knives adjacent thereto, the rotating cutter-heads having cutters adjacent to said stripping-knives and yielding supporting-plates, and a revolving roll adjacent to said stripping-knives and at the end of said yielding support, substantially as specified.

9. The outer casing having the feedingopenings, the yielding guides projecting backwardly on each side of said openings, the feeding-rolls above and below the line of said openings, and a serrated dividing knife or knives in line with said openings, a grooved wedge-shaped supporting-block in the rear of said knife or knives, and supporting-plates on opposite sides of said block to form passages as described, carrying-rolls adjacent to said supporting-plates, rotating cutter-heads having cutters revolving in proximity to said supporting-plates, and stripping-knives adjacent to said rotating heads, substantially as specified.

10. In combination with feeding devices, such as described, a centrally-arranged dividing knife or knives supported on a wedgeshaped block having a grooved periphery as described, supporting plates on opposite sides of said block to form guiding-passages, and the rotating cutter-heads and a stationary stripping-knife arranged at the rear of said passages and adjacent to said supporting-plates, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of February, A. D. 1898.

DOW L. ADELSPERGER. 

